Dining: new venues and new menus

25 September, 2018

5 Min Read

Keeping up with new restaurants, new chefs and new menus in Hong Kong can be tricky as there’s always so much going on! Our regular Hong Kong restaurant news round-up aims to keep you in the loop with what’s going on when it comes to new menus and new venues in the city’s ever-evolving dining scene. From the latest eatery to open its doors to celebrity chefs to brunches and bars, it’s all here!

Skew It Sundays

Wan Chai hot spot FRANCIS is offering Skew It Sundays, a new take on Middle Eastern skewers. Inspired by Tel Aviv restaurants where diners feast on grilled meat skewers alongside sides and breads, the menu will offer a choice of four skewers of baharat-spiced chicken thigh, Wagyu rump beef, succulent Iberico pork and lamb kafta, and 10 meze dishes for HK$360 per person. Held on the last Sunday of the month from noon until 10.30pm.

New restaurants at Tai Kwun

Aqua Restaurant Group has opened its new restaurants at Tai Kwun, the restoration project of the old Central police station. The Chinese Library sits in the East Wing of the beautifully transformed 170-year-old colonial building. The restaurant showcases Hong Kong’s favourite Chinese dishes drawn from the diverse regional Chinese cuisines which have gone to make up the city’s unique culinary heritage. The dishes range from Cantonese to Chiu Chow and Sichuan to Shanghainese, blending the traditional and contemporary. Aqua has also opened Statement in Tai Kwun, which will specialise in British fine dining cuisine, and opulent bar Dispensary, which sits between the two venues.

New Sunday brunch

The classic Sunday roast has been given a French twist for a new brunch a the one Michelin starred ON Dining. The French Roast is HK$428+10% per guest, and starts with appetisers such as fresh oysters, foie gras crème brulee, truffled scrambled eggs, roasted prawns persillade and more. Mains include roasted carving meats and fish, such as whole yellow chicken or grilled lamb cutlets with sides. The brunch concludes with a dessert buffet and cheeses. A special Happy Hour price of HK$50 per drink applies to a selection of cocktails, wines, beers and Bloody Mary’s.

Sweet treats

With a total of seven award-winning shops in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo, Japanese desserts specialist Yukinoshita has opened its first branch in Hong Kong. Dessert lovers will be able to enjoy Yukinoshita’s acclaimed signature items, including their legendary atsuyaki thick-fried pancakes, and Japanese-style kakigori shaved ice.

Dragonfly takes flight

Dragonfly has opened its doors in the historic Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts. The latest venue to be designed by Ashley Sutton for Dining Concepts, this bohemian-style cocktail lounge has a feel of the Art Nouveau era. Sutton has taken inspiration from US artist Louis Tiffany, who was renowned for his favrile glass and stained-glass window creations, as well as French artist René Lalique. Head there for creative cocktails and delicious small dishes.

Pizza perfection

Legendary pizza chef Franco Pepe is bringing his award-winning Italian resto to Hong Kong. KYTALY. KYTALY, which takes its name from ‘ki’, the Japanese symbol for energy, and Italy, will have a menu featuring 19 pizze from classics to Franco Pepe’s signature creations, as well as a range of Italian salads and desserts. Franco Pepe currently holds the No.1 position for Top 50 Best Pizza in Italy 2018.

British to a tea

Fans of a classic British afternoon tea will delight in Gough on Gough’s new high tea set. Served on Saturday afternoons, the menu includes a mix of sweet and savoury items. Expect finger sandwiches such as smoked salmon with crème fraiche and cucumber, and, of course, scones with clotted cream and homemade jam.

KONG opens its doors

Wan Chai’s Bread & Beast is transforming into a sit-down restaurant and cocktail bar in the evenings, called KONG. The menu takes traditional Hong Kong flavours and gives them a twist, with a range of sharing plates making it a perfect venue for groups. Dishes include offerings such as Cherry Kola Brisket Cheung Fun, which is slow-cooked barbecued brisket, kola caramel, pickled cherry, and seared cheung fun.

New Indian resto

The city has a new Indian restaurant with the opening of Chaiwala in Central. This vibrant venue serves a modern Indian menu with six sections which spans the Indian subcontinent with dishes ranging from the north to the southernmost point. Those who want to try a bite of everything can opt for the Dabbawala Menu at HK$480 per person which includes a selection of Chaiwala signatures and chef’s favourites. Make sure you try the cocktails, made with aromatic Indian spices.

The Wise King

According to legend, the practice of eating tapas with decadent drinks was the result of a decree by King Alfonso X of Castile during the 13th Century. The Wise King, a new bar on Staunton Street, takes its inspiration from this 13th Century decadence, serving classic cocktails and tapas snacks. The bar is a new venture from industry veterans Joe Villanueva and Sandeep Kumar.